Envelope-iv



(No Model.)

v E. RYDER.

ENVELOPE MOISTENER.

N0. 319,426. Patented June 2, 1885.

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NITED STATES PATENT rricn.

ENVELOPE-MOISTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,426, dated June 2, 1885.

7 Application filed February 9, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELISHA RYDER, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new Improvements in Envelope-Moisteners; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a perspective view of a spongecup formed with a projection on one side, and through which the slot is made, as indicating the best form for the cup; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a common sponge-cup, showing the slot as formed therein; Fig. 3, a vertical central section cutting through the slot.

This invention relates to a device for moistening the gum upon envelopes preparatory to scaling the same; the object being a convenient device for moisteniug the envelope, and thereby avoiding the common practice of applying thegum to the tongue; and the invention consists in constructing a sponge-cup with a transverse slot opening through the cup onto the sponge, and so that the gummed edge of the envelope-flap may be drawn through said slit and be brought into contact with the moist surface of the spoiige, as more fully hereinafter described.

In illustrating my invention Ishow it in a special form of sponge-cup, and also as applied to a common sponge-cup. These cups are usually made from porcelain, glass, or may be from any suitable material.

In the special form of cup,which I show in Fig. l, A representing the cup, it is open upon its upper side to receive the sponge, and the inner edge of the opening overhanging so as to secure the sponge in the cup. At one point a projection, B, is formed from the cup, and into which the sponge extends. Transversely through this projection a slot, a, is cut, extending inward and opening over the sponge, as seen in Fig. 3. The slot extends back from the front edge, so as to expose it for the introduction of the flap of the envelope, or, as seen in Fig. 2, the slot a may be made through one side of a common sponge-cup opening to the interior and so as to expose the surface of the sponge through said slot. The sponge being damp, the flap of the envelope is drawn through the slot so as to bring the gummed surface in contact with the surface of the sponge, and so that the gum may receive the requisite moistening for sealing the envelope.

The sponge-cup is a common necessity for all desks, and is neccssarilyof convenient access to the person writing at the desk; hence, it being arranged to bring the slot a into convenient position, the cup is always ready for the sealing operation, and affords the most convenient device for moistening the gum on the envelope-flap, and because the flap passes over the surface of the sponge the moisture will only be applied upon the surface of the gum, and that moistening must necessarily extend to the extreme outer edge, so that the sealing will be of the most perfect character.

I do not limit myself to any particular shape of cup, it only being essential that the cup shall be provided with a sponge and constructed with a slot opening onto the sponge and through which the flap may be passed to bring the gummed surface into contact with the sponge.

I have shown the slot as near the top of the cup; but it may be below, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 2, so that the moistening will come near the bottom of the cup, it only being essential to my invention that there shall be an opening through the cup to the sponge, so that the surface to be wet may be brought into contact with the sponge.

I claim 1. A sponge-cup adapted to contain and hold a moist sponge, the, said sponge-cup constructed with a transverse slot, at, opening onto the sponge, substantially as described.

2. A sponge-cup adapted to receive and hold a moist sponge, said cup constructed with a projection, B, into which the sponge may extend, the said projection having a transverse slotthrough it extending from its outer end inward onto the surface of the sponge, substantially as described.

ELISHA RYDER.

-Witnesses:

THEODORE H. GOODRIOH, AUGUST BIERMANN. 

